1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to toilets and, more particularly, to the conversion of a conventional toilet into a urinal by raising the toilet seat and thereby to unfold a curtain extending between the toilet bowl and the seat to convert the toilet into a urinal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is well-known and understood, a toilet seat and cover are typically hinged to a toilet bowl and the seat and cover simply pivot upwardly and rearwardly to be disposed against the toilet tank when the toilet is used as a urinal. As is also well-known and understood in the art, a very common problem, particularly associated with men and boys, is the problem of splashing. The splashing causes problems of odor, soil, and the like, in most cases behind the toilet seat and on the floor to the rear of the toilet and beneath the toilet tank. These problems are age-old problems, and have heretofore been not entirely successfully solved.
At least two United States patents are included in the prior art concerned in at least some part with solving the problems discussed in the preceding paragraph. The two patents are U.S. Pat. No. 2,839,764, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,845. The '764 patent discloses a toilet seat hinge cover which is secured to and extends downwardly from the rear of the toilet seat to protect the hinge of the toilet seat when the toilet seat is raised. The hinge cover extends for only a relatively short arcuate distance and is designed only to protect the immediate vicinity of the toilet seat hinge, or the back of the toilet seat, from splashing, and the like. The '845 patent discloses a pleated and collapsible splash shield which is secured to both the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. The connection between the splash shield and the toilet seat is at the bottom back portion of the seat to prevent splashing from contacting the back portion of the seat and in the area of the toilet seat hinge. The pleated splash shield is also secured to the top of the toilet bowl rim and accordingly provides splash protection from the immediate area of the toilet bowl rim.
In both patents discussed in the preceding paragraph, the shields involved are secured to the toilet seat and accordingly provide protection when the toilet seat pivots backwardly against the toilet tank. This, in each case, limits the effectiveness of the shielding attempts. Moreover, there is no protection against a misdirected stream of urine, as is likely to happen, especially with children. The apparatus of the present invention overcomes the problems and deficiencies of the prior art and offers protection in a manner not heretofore contemplated by the prior art.